Western films have been a staple in the film industry for several decades. This means that in order to release a Western in the 2020s, it needs to be extra captivating and unique while keeping the authenticity that made this genre popular. This formula has brought the success of “The Power of the Dog,” which is now available on Netflix. Directed by Oscar nominated Jane Campion, this film is based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage. This film has already gotten a lot of attention by critics, including seven nominations at the Golden Globe awards and making the AFI’s (American Film Institute) top 10 film list of 2021. I watched this film with expectations based on this hype. I believe the film delivers on some of these expectations, as I expected a fantastic film worthy of critical acclaim, but some parts of the film I found to be a little slow and confusing.
The location is Montana and the year is 1925. Harsh Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) and soft George Burbank (Jesse Plemons) are brothers who run a ranch. They meet Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst), who marries George and her odd son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who catches Phil’s attention. The Gordons and the Burbanks will shape each other in ways that will change the rest of their lives. However, this movie shows that what is on the surface may not be the full story and every character is multifaceted and complex. Every detail and scene in this film felt important to the background of a character. I did not love the whole story, but I appreciated a lot of it. The story was kind of slow but fascinating. There were some scenes that were just about tending to animals or masculinity show offs. While that can be a bit tedious to watch, I understood how they were important to show the characters’ personality. The film took a while to develop as characters and setting were being set up, but once it got to the middle, that is when my attention was fully grabbed. Without giving any spoilers, That is when I saw that the film was deeper than it first appeared and that there were secrets to be uncovered. There were a lot of twists and turns that caught me by surprise. This film was an interesting blend of a western, a romantic drama and a psychological drama.
My favorite part of this film has to be the performances. Every actor in this gave award worthy performances. Benedict Cumberbatch owned every scene that he was in. He had a presence that made the viewer pay full attention to him. He played a cruel ranch owner whose presence brings fear in people. As the movie goes on, you see all of the emotions he is guarding in order to stand tall. You start the movie hating him based on this harsh attitude and demeanor, but you feel pity for him by the end. Kirsten Dunst also gave a fantastic performance as well. Her role starts a little buttoned up, as she seems like an innocent restaurant owner trying to provide a nice life for her son. As the film progresses, she is seen going through an emotional rollercoaster and breakdown. From the scary presence of Phil to her succumbing to a dangerous addiction, her mental health deteriorates quickly. The journey she went on shows Dunst’s brilliance as an actress. I also have to applaud Kodi Smit-McPhee’s fascinating performance. I could not get enough of him. His character is less showy than most of the other characters, yet he was able to still make the role captivating and intriguing. He started the film as an awkward young man who seems to be weaker and daintier than all of the other men. He is just a guy who wants to be holed up in his room and work towards becoming a doctor. By the end of the film, he appears more confident and determined. He is not letting anyone get him down and he will go to great lengths to get what he wants, even if it includes causing pain. It is as if the Peter we first met was not the real Peter. I hope to see more from Smit-McPhee in the future.
The book that this film is based on was written over fifty years ago and it takes place almost a hundred years ago, yet this film does not feel outdated. It tackles themes of love, lust, grief, masculinity, strength and courage that can still hit people today. Many old westerns like “The Dirty Dozen”, or “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” or anything with John Wayne are about crimes, violence, robberies and the pursuit of money. Not to mention a lack of complex female characters. That is what makes this film a success. Anyone can find something relatable about this film, even though it took place in the 1920s. I can relate to being an outcast, putting up walls, putting family first and trying to survive a male dominated society, and these concepts are all explored.
This is not my favorite movie of the year as I was not drawn in by every moment, but I can definitely say that it is one of a kind. If you want to feel hard-hitting emotions or if you want to see a film that will make you think, go on Netflix and watch “The Power of the Dog” today.
